Unreturned
by Evadne Riddle-Malfoy
Summary: She loved him with a fire that burned through her heart, a passion that brought her to her knees at times.


_This was written for the 'Of Weather and Characteristics' challenge by I promise you that. Three weathers and three characteristics were picked, and a story was written for them. The weathers I got were 'snow, cool and blue skies', and the characteristics were 'peaceful, insecure and passionate'._

**Disclaimer: All characters, settings and themes recognised in the Harry Potter series belong to J.K Rowling.**

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><p><strong>Unreturned<strong>

A story by _Evadne __Riddle-Malfoy_

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><p>"You don't really like me, do you?" Her voice rang out clearly in the peaceful snow, and she looked straight ahead, not daring to look at him.<p>

There was a shuffle beside her.

"Whatever brought that thought about?" he finally asked after a brief pause – though it felt like forever to her, as she awaited the answer - and the tone of his voice was indecipherable. She sent him a sidelong glance, marveling subconsciously at the handsome features and the brilliant eyes.

"Well, you're always out with _her_, aren't you? And I know that whenever she sees me, she's always looking at me as if she feels sorry for me. I'm sure you only talk to me because she tells you to."

"That's not true." His eyes went to the blue sky, as if searching the heavens for something, but he did not elaborate.

A cool gust of wind blew, and as her dark hair whipped around her face, shadowing the plain curves and lines, she was thankful for the way it hid the doubt that she held deep within her, the doubt that she felt seeping into the surface.

Tom was wonderful, and she knew that she was undisputedly in love with him. She had been since that first time he had saved her from her drunken father and brother. He was handsome, he was funny and he was the bravest man she had ever known. He was her saviour, her light, and she knew she didn't deserve him, wasn't good enough for him. That girl he was always with, laughing and kissing, caressing and smiling at – Eleanor Henry – _she_ was the type of girl he deserved. Beautiful, well-to-do, charismatic…nothing like her, plain and ordinary.

Yet she couldn't help but love him with her heart. She couldn't help but try to spend everyday with him, even when she knew that he could never love her back. She loved him with a fire that burned through her heart, a passion that brought her to her knees at times.

Tom glanced at her just as this thought passed through her mind, and he saw the blazing look in her eyes. He wondered what she was thinking, and voiced as much.

"Nothing." The one word brought a sharp rosy tinge to her cheeks, making them even redder than the cold had done.

"You can tell me anything, you know. We're friends." The look he gave her made her want to pour her very soul out to him, and she bit her tongue hard to keep herself from doing it, not releasing the muscle until she felt the tang of metal. He patiently watched her struggle with herself.

"It's really nothing, Tom."

"I really do like you." He sounded sincere, so sincere that she forced herself to give him a smile, even when she knew it was lies. "You're a great girl, Merope."

Merope did not reply right away. Instead, she turned to him, staring at him with a fiercely intelligent, knowing, almost frightening look. He felt discomfited, and was relieved when, at long last, she said, "I must go, Tom. I will see you tomorrow?"

Tom grinned. "Same time, same place?"

Merope nodded, not returning the smile, and, without a backward glance, pulled her shabby coat tight around her and hurried down the hill on his estate. After passing the many frosted trees and the large manor house, she looked around, before Apparating straight into her now empty home.

The image of his face pictured clear as day in her mind, it was that night that she began brewing the strongest love potion in the world.

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><p><strong>AN:<strong> Bleh, I had no inspiration at allll. Nevertheless, I hope you enjoyed it!


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